9-Day Danube & Black Sea River Cruise Tour
Rumania | Bulgaria | Serbia | croatia | Hungary
aboard Premium Ship MS Vivaldi
Aboard
Premium Ship MS Vivaldi
From Romania to Hungary via Serbia, you’ll be surprised and delighted by this cruise that will take you to the heart of Eastern Europe. You will discover cities & towns with remarkable landscapes and elegant architecture!
CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS
- A comprehensive cruise along the Danube, taking in its history, fascinating culture and sublime landscapes
- Discover(1):
- Bucharest, the surprising Romania capital
- Authentic Bulgaria with Veliko Tarnovo and the charming town of Ruse
- Rich cultural and architectural heritage in the Serbian towns of Belgrade and Novi Sad
Itinerary
Day 1 : OLTENITA (Romania)
5 am – Check in for our flight to Bucharest : Ryanair FR 0710-1020.
Upon Arrival you will be transferred to the centre of Bucharest to enjoy sometime at leisure – an enjoyable walkabout in the old town and a lunch stop. Known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, glorious Belle Époque buildings and a reputation for the high life (which in the 1900s earned its nickname of “Little Paris”), Bucharest, Romania’s largest city and capital, is today a bustling metropolis. Towards 3 pm we will start our 1-hour drive to Oltenita. Passengers are welcome to board our ship in Oltenita. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. Diner. Our ship will sail towards Tulcea through the night.
Day 2 : TULCEA (Romania)
We’ll spend the morning cruising towards Tulcea. Join us for the optional excursions proposed: CLASSIC: The Danube Delta with its rich fauna and flora. DISCOVERY: The Danube Delta on a speed boat, a thrilling and original discovery. In the late afternoon, we’ll return on board and keep cruising towards Oltenita.
Day 3 : OLTENITA (Romania) – Bucarest
Full-day excursion in Bucharest, the Romanian capital. This city is an incredible mix of styles with its Orthodox churches, manor houses in Second Empire style, clumsy-looking Stalinist architecture of the Communist period and the Palace of the Parliament (exterior only). We’ll return on board in Ruse.
Day 4 : RUSE (Bulgaria)
Full-day excursion to Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi, including lunch at a restaurant. We’ll return on board in Ruse. Enjoy dinner and an evening of traditional folk entertainment on board.
Day 5 : RUSE
Tour of Ruse, a very attractive town thanks to the wide avenues, large squares and wonderful buildings which pay tribute to the national Renaissance architecture. The afternoon will be spent cruising.
Day 6 : The Iron Gates
The entire day will be spent cruising on the Danube. Our ship will pass through the Iron Gates, the gorge onthe Danube that forms part of the boundary between Serbia and Romania. It was called “The Cauldrons” by ancient sailors, since the water, held tightly between two steep cliffs, seemed to be boiling.
Day 7 : BELGRADE – NOVI SAD (Serbia)
Join us for the optional excursions proposed: CLASSIC: Guided tour of Belgrade whose rich cultural heritage will surprise you. DISCOVERY: Discover Belgrade by bike. You’ll cycle along the history-filled streets with your guide who will explain the city’s recent past from World War II to current times. In the afternoon, join us on an optional excursion for both packages: Discover the multi-ethnic city ofNovi Sad, the industrial and financial center of the Serbian economy and a major cultural center, and theKrusedol Monastery. We’ll return on board in Novi Sad and keep cruising towards Osijek.
Day 8 : OSIJEK (Croatia) – MOHACS (Hungary)
Join us for the optional excursions proposed: CLASSIC: Guided tour of Osijek.
DISCOVERY: Discover Osijek by bike. The old part of the town, Tvr?a, was built at the beginning of the 18th century and is a dream to cycle through. It is the best-preserved, largest ensemble of Baroque buildings in Croatia. We’ll spend the afternoon cruising towards Mohacs and through customs before sailing on to Budapest. Tonight’s our gala dinner and evening. Our ship will cruise through the night.
Day 9 : BUDAPEST (Hungary)
9 am we depart and board our coach to enjoy a Highlights Tour of Budapest
Budapest is full of UNESCO-listed monuments, architectural wonders, and lively markets – See the Chain Bridge, St Stephen’s Basilica, and State Opera House Explore the Buda Castle complex, Heroes Square and the Central Market Hall – towards 4pm we make our way to the airport for our return flight to Malta – Ryanair FR 2277 – 1855-2110
Should you wish to extend your stay in Budapest by a few nights –this is possible on individual basis & is subject to flight/hotel availability – Rates on request.
Optional Excursions
Danube Delta . Rumania | Classic – Half Day – €44
We’ll begin with a 500m walk (approx.) and then board a tourist pleasure boat to begin our visit of the Danube Delta to discover the flora and fauna of this biosphere in the company of our guides. The site today is one of 300 international biosphere reserves designated by UNESCO to try to measure the impact of Man on the environment. The Danube Delta is home to more than 1200 different varieties of plants, 300 species of birds and 45 different freshwater fish varieties in its many lakes and marshes. During our visit, we may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of some white pelicans, dwarf cormorants or glossy ibis or other species.
Or you may opt for Danube Delta By Speed Boat – Discovery Excursion – €92
Bucharest, capital of Rumania | Half Day – €46
Bucharest has suffered greatly from its communist past but after the year 2000, due to the advent of significant economic growth, the city has modernized. You will start the visit with a panoramic tour of the city giving you an overview of the various monuments. We visit Eco-museum, an authentic village in the city where you will discover the habitats of the different regions of Romania & their handcrafts. The visit will end with a photo stop at The Palace of Parliament, a gigantic neo-classical style marble construction designed by Ceausescu & the Orthodox Church.
Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanassi (lunch included), Bulgaria | full Day – €108
Departure by coach to Veliko Tarnovo, the medieval capital of Bulgaria. Veliko Tarnovo, with its medieval fortress of the Tsarevets Kings, is one of the oldest cities in the country and the regional administrative center. We’ll have lunch in a restaurant offering a wonderful view over the ruins of the fortress. We’ll move on towards Arbanassi in the afternoon. Located 4 km away from Veliko Tarnovo, this is one of the most visited villages in Bulgaria and is today listed as an “Architectural and Historical Reserve”. We’ll visit the Church of Nativity, the oldest in Arbanassi. The naos was originally an independent church whose murals date back to 1597. We’ll continue with a visit of the Konstantzaliev family’s house, an eye-catching structure with monumental architecture rich in details that was built in the 17th century.
Ruse and the monastery of St. Dimitar Basarabovski, Bulgaria | Half Day – €52
We’ll leave by coach to explore the city of Ruse and the rock monastery of St. Dimitar Basarabovski. The monastery is the only functional men’s rock monastery in Bulgaria, a site filled with history and still a true place of worship and everyday life. We’ll then head to Ruse, one of Bulgaria’s most elegant cities. With its imposing Belle Époque architecture and neatly trimmed leafy squares, it’s as if a little chunk of Vienna had broken off and floated down the Danube. You’ll see the Dohodno Zdanie, the Roman Catholic St. Paul of the Cross Cathedral, and the Monument of Liberty.
Belgrade Guided Tour, Serbia | Half Day – €41
We’ll set off by coach to visit Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, which is also one of the oldest cities in Europe with a history stretching back some 7000 years. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers, close to the Morava Corridor which links the countries of the Danube to the Aegean Sea. The town has a fortress sitting atop one of the highest hills in Belgrade as well as a commercial center and port. We’ll start off our visit with a guided panoramic tour of the city, during which you will have the opportunity to admire Belgrade’s National Theatre and National Museum, the Royal Palace which currently houses the City Assembly of Belgrade, the Ancient Royal Palace and more. We’ll stop to visit the Orthodox Temple of St Sava. We then visit Kalemegdan Park, the largest and most beautiful park in the city where the Belgrade Fortress is located, overlooking the confluence of the Danube and Sava.
Guided tour of Novi Sad and the Krusedol monastery, Serbia | Half Day – €39
Our excursion begins with a visit to Krusedol Monastery located in the mountainous region of Fruska Gora. More than 16 Orthodox monasteries are spread around the hamlet of Irski Venac, a great opportunity to soak up Serbian art combining Byzantine and Baroque architecture. Our coach will then take us to Novi Sad. Capital of the autonomous region of Vojvodina, Novi Sad is also the second largest town in Serbia. The town has a long and troubled history since it was under the rule of Celts, Romans, Franks, Barbarians and Turks until it became part of the Habsburg Empire. The history of the town was further troubled during the 20th century when after the First World War, the Balkan territories were in turn united and separated under different names, until in 2006 when the town finally became part of an independent Serbia. We’ll visit the city center by foot. The old Austro-Hungarian city with its Baroque buildings developed around ancient fortifications. You will be able to see the Episcopal Church as well as the Orthodox Church before continuing up the main street to Freedom square with the old Town Hall, dating from 1895. We finish the visit with a panoramic tour up the main boulevards leading to the boat.
Osijek Guided Tour, Croatia | Half Day – €41
We begin our tour with a visit of Osijek, a town in the East of the historical Croatian region of Slavonia. The town was founded by the Slavs, who built a river port on the ruins of the Roman town in the 7th century. In 1526, the Turks took possession of the town and remained there for over 160 years, making Osijek the capital of Ottoman Slavonia. But in 1687, they suffered a heavy defeat in Harkany and left the town without a fight. Our tour will first take us to the upper town for a view of the Church of St Peter and St Paul. Commonly referred to as the Cathedral, this imposing red brick church dominated by its 90m spire was built under the impetus of Bishop Strossmayer, a native of Osijek. We’ll then move on to the Old Town with a visit of the 18th century fortress built between 1712 and 1721 by architect Maximilien Gosseau d’Hennef who designed the citadel’s civilian and military buildings, giving the whole a remarkable architectural unity. Afterwards, we’ll walk up to the main square with its Holy Trinity monument.
Special Rate for all 7 Excursions: Euros 300 – Save €70!
Cost per person / Adult
CLASSIC PACKAGE DEAL based on Early Booking Discount
| Main deck | From €1,950 Per Person / Twin Sharing |
| Middle deck | From €2,150 Per Person / Twin Sharing |
| Upper deck | From €2,199 Per Person / Twin Sharing |
Book by 28 Feb 2023 – Save €50 per cabin!
Single Supplement €699 per person
Deposit: €500 per person
Balance due: 15 July 2023
PRICE INCLUDES
- Ryanair Plus incl 20 kg checked luggage and 1 small carryon bag (40 x 20 x 25cm) Malta – Bucharest 0710-1020 FR 9256/ Budapest-Malta FR2277 1855-2110
- Return port transfers with use of Coach on Day 1 and Day 9 ( til time of checkin at the port or airport)
- Your 8-night cruise aboard the Premium ship MS Vivaldi with all meals from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the final day – onboard drinks included (except for drinks from our special lists) – accommodation in double-occupancy cabin with shower in private bathroom – onboard entertainment – the assistance of our onboard host/hostess – welcome cocktail – gala evening – traditional entertainment in Tulcea
- Travel assistance/repatriation insurance – all port fees and taxes.
- Professional Tour Leader: Ms Marisa Caruana Lauri ITC DDS
- (subject to a minimum of 15 Adult Pax)
Not Included
- Drinks from our special lists, or drinks ordered during excursions or transfers
- Travel Insurance (required) – We offer Gasan Mamo Travel Policy incl Covid Plan & Tax: €40 Standard ( Age 16-69) – €20 ( Age 2 – 15y) / €75 Standard (Age 70 -75) / €93 Basic ( Age 76-80)
- Shore Excursions (refer to Page 3 for details)
Note
This package cost is based on an airfare up to : Euros 200 per person – a supplement might apply at time of booking (so kindly reconfirm cost when booking). Should you require additional hand luggage – 10kg checked or carry on bag ( cost approx. 15 euros per flight) – to reconfirm cost when booking -rates fluctuate. Kindly note due to luggage space on board coach – each passenger is entitled to 1 large suitcase and 1 hand luggage (any additional luggage may be subject to a charge)
Travel Mall booking terms and conditions apply and are taken as being read and consented to. Please read them carefully before booking.
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